Work supporting and decorating method and apparatus



J1me 1932- s. VON WEBERN ET AL 1,863,816

. WORK SUPPORTING AND DECORATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed llay 28. 1930 Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED- sTA-TEs PATENT" OFFICE GUIDO VON WE'BEBN AND EDWARD W; HAMAN'T, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIO-NORS TO, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION I OF OXFORD VARNISH CORPORATION, MICHIGAN WORK SUPPORTING AND DECORATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Application filed May 28, 1930. Serial 110,456,336.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for effectively decorating shapes, such as sheet .metal mouldings, frame parts and the like having relief and indented effects, by the use of a resilient transfer roll or like impression member. The invention c0n-' templates the use of a resilient medium forming the exterior surfaces of a'printing roll, in association with suitable pigment applying mechanism in a graining machine or .the like to transfer a pigment pattern to Work in such machine. An exampleof suitable mechanism is shown in the application of Lloyd V. Casto and George E. Lang, Serial No. 134,807, filed September 11, 1926.

7 An object of the inventionis to provide a novel method of using a transfer roll or memher having a yielding surface portion to grain or decorate blanks having indented and re-- lief effects, to secure suitable design or pattern transfers thereon, notwithstandin the deviations of the various surfaces to be ecorated, and without danger of damage to the Qao work or transfer member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a graining or surface decorating method and apparatus, including the use of a resilient roll or member having a body and surface adapted to transfer a pigment patternfrom a generally smooth plate or cylinder bearing the desired pattern in relief or intaglio and which transfer member, notwithstanding the I surface limitations imposed by the plate or cylinder, will effectively grain or decorate o jects having raised and receding surfaces; in other words, deviating surfaces, all in one operation.

Another object is to 'provide'acore device for a transfer roll having a yieldingsurface portion, which core device yvill be so arranged that deep recesses in the blanks or between adjacent blanks of a series will be effectively In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a central longitudlnal cross sectional view through one form of roll; Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view of another form; Fig. 3 is a similar cross sectional view of a longer roll and showing further modifications, and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective illustrations of exemplary blanks to -be decorated.

Referring again to thedrawing and first to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the roll may be made up of end plates 1 and 2 through which a suitable driving or supporting shaft ent'and compressible body of material 10,

such as sponge rfbber. A similar arrangement may be found in the patent to Lloyd V.

Casto, No. 1,691,336, owned by the assignee hereof, but which does not show the special provision for "decorating peculiar shaped blanks with which this application is concerned.

" The-sponge rubber layer may be formed place bymoul ing as a separate operation, with the roll parts previously described as- I semb'led as shown or in any other suitable manner.

Embracing the body of sponge rubber or the like is a layer of resilient material, such as congealed glue and glycerine or any known type of material having similar operating characteristics. This layer, indicated at '12, is preferably continuous but may, of

course, comprise sections or segments, as will be obvious.

The end plates 1 and 2 of the roll have surfaces inclining outwardly as shown at 13. As shown, these surfaces are conical but may be varied greatly in accordance with the general shape of the work to be decorated. With thisv arrangement of elements, a. piece of work supported as on a conveyer surface A and of the form shown at B in Fig. 1, may

be eflectively grained on all its upwardly facing surfaces, recesses, and the sides. For illustration, the blankB has a top surface I), an inclined or side surface 61 and still another inclined surface 62.

When a roll of the type shown in Fig. 1 is pressed into contact with a piece such as shown, the sponge rubber at 10 will yield inwardly to allow the transfer material 12 to recede toward the middle of the roll, the deformation of the resilient material 12 being indicated at 12a; meanwhile, the conical surfaces 13 come into action to press the resilient material closely-against the inclined surfaces 61 and b2 and the connecting portions of the blank, thereby effectively graining all thedesired surfaces of the blank in a uniform manner and with a natural design depending on that presented by the roll.

The form of the roll shown in Fig. 2 is mainly adapted for operation on blanks having portions with surfaces which rise upwardly a considerable distance from other portions. For example, the form. of blank shown in Fig. 5 may bcwefy effectively grained on such a roll. This roll is different from that shown in Fig. 1, mainly in that the sponge rubber is partly or entirely omitted and a fluid space provided instead. The fluid space is indicated at 20and may contain air or, if desired, a suitable liquid, such as oil. Fluid in the space 20 may be maintained at slightly greater than atmospheric pressure, as by the use of an inflatable air bag or tube, with suitable valve arrangements for greater cushioning effect. This is not illustrated.

To maintain an air space while moulding the material 12, as in the usual mould or gun, I may provide a layer or tube of material, such as paper, shown at 22, which paper layer may be supported on shoulders 13 adjacent the conical portions of the end plates. This layer may be formed by wrapping as many turns of paper as desired about the shouldered portions of the end plates to get the necessary strength for holding back the molten gum during the moulding operation.

After the roll has been completely formed and the gum congealed, the use of the roll on a blank, such as shown in Fig. 5, to grain the generally convex surfaces thereof, shown, will cause the paper'to break through and allow the material 12 to press upwardly a considerable distance toward the center of the roll as compared to'what will take place in thecase of using a sponge rubber base for the gum. Nevertheless, theessentialoprinciple is the same as before and in connection with the modification of Fig. 2, the inclined or conical surfaced end plates may be modified as to shape as required by the shape of rubber or like base 10a for the gum material may be used, or omitted, depending largely on the character of the blanks to 'be decorated. For example, an air space may be provided in accordance with Fig. 2. The essential difierence between Fig. 3 and the previously described figures is the provision of special internal pressure members 25 of any suitable material, for example, hard rubber,

Wood or' metal. These may be variously shaped and located along a tube or core 26 for the roll, suitablysupported within it, as previously described, and if desired the members 25 may be adapted for adjustment along the roll axially thereofin any suitable manner,-

(not shown). H

The essential result of using these internal pressure members is illustrated in connection with Fig. 3. Here there are a number of blanks B1 of the general nature shown in Fig. 4 having central recesses at 63, and otherwise conforming substantially to the shape shown in F ig. 1 at B.- Such blanks may be supported on a conveyer, pressure rollor edges of the roll during the printing operation. 4

It will be seen that the members 25 may be of different size, as determined by the .distance which it is desired to squeeze or distort'the gum material from the center. For example, those of the members 25 which are disposed in line with the recesses 123 on the blanks are of less radial extent than those which are disposed between the blanks, since there is less pressure required to urge the material 12 snugly into one set of recesses than into another. I

It will be seen that the receding surfaces of the pieces of work B1 supported as shown on the element R, act to direct the transfer material 12 toward each other. For exam le, the material in Fig. 3 at the region 126 is squeezed by both adjacent blanks in such manner that the material will uniformly enter the recess formed between the two blanks. This much of the invention is entirely apart from the roll construction and is operative to greater pr less extent without such devices as those shown at 25. The spacing of the pieces on the support depends largely on the height of the pieces and of course their shape. In a work arranging system, such as shown, the devices 11 cooperate with the blanks in substantially the same manner as the blanks cooperate with each other to direct the transfer material 12 in the proper manner to secure uniform decorative effects.

It is to be understood that while the shown in Fi s, operation'wi th pattern rolls havmg'pattern effects thereon produced as by etching a cop per plateo-r roll through a suitableresistpit it within the scope of the invention to provide the pattern relief or intaglio effects directly on the pattern transfer material, such as at 12, in any known or suitable manner. The prior application above mentioned discloses one manner in which the necessary pigment is applied to the transfer roll, via a separate pattern roll.

Consideringthe general :invention as a method, this consists in providing unequal pressure on the transfer material of a roll or like printing element as required by the in-" dented and raised surface effects on the work to be decorated. The method is further amplified 'by the provision for exerting additional pressure on the transfer material, as by the devices shown at 11, Fig. 3, and by the blanks themselves, for squeezing the transfer material toward the work and material against damage.

'We claim: v 1. A method of decorating blanks protecting this the use of'a transfer member having a generally smooth surface, comprising forming a' transferable pattern on such generally smooth surface and-exerting. printing pressure on the blank by applying the member thereto and meanwhile exerting unequal pressure on the transfer material of the member opposite the printing point or line, the pressure being greatest where the surfaces to .be decorated recede farthest from'the points of application of such unequal pressure, and least where surfaces are closest to suchspoints.

2. A method of'decorating blanks having surfaces deviating from a'coinmon plane, by the use of a substantially cylindrical transfer roll having resilient trans er material, comprising formin the printing pressure on the-blank by applying decorated recedes farthest from the axis 3 of the roll, and least where the surfaces are closest .to' the roll axis.

3. The method of decorating surfaces of articles having relatively raised'and receding surfaces, which comprises using a substantially cylindrical transfer roll, applying print mg pressure to the article through the medium of apattern on a resilient printing member on the roll, and meanwhile applylng unequal pressune to the resilient printing memrolls 1, 2 and 3 are adapted for 00- pressure efi'ects in different mediate the ends thereof.

a transferable patternon the cylindrical sur ace of the roll and exerting her on the surface thereof opposite the point or lineof contact between the article and roll.

4. 'A printing roll comprising a core and a layer of-resilient material adapted to efiect an offset impression on a blank, said material embracing the core, the core having raised portions to provide unequal radial portions inter- 5. A transfer member adapted for. impressing a pigment design on blanks having surfaces which deviate from a common plane, saidmember having a resilient transfer body and a base support therefor including spaced relatively compact andrelatively yielding portions of theba'se corresponding respectively to the relatively recessed and relatively raised portions of the blank. I 6. Transfer apparatus comprising, asupport for.blank's which have relatively raised and receding surfaces to' be decorated, a'

transfer roll adapted for'impressing a pig,

ment design on the'blanks, said roll comprise ing an outer layerof resilient, transfer maof relatively yielding character in proximity terial, and inner supporting means therefor to the raised surfaces of the blank on the support andof relatively non-yielding characwhereby :the blanks may be effectively ces in one operation. -7. A pattern printing member for imyielding material adapted to e ect a-t ransfer f terin proximity to the. receding surfaces, having; surfaces deviating from a common plane, by grained on both the raised and receding sur-' of a pattern to a work blank-,the body hav ing substantially solid portions thereofdirected to increase .the pressure in certain zones transversely of the body'and yielding portions to decrease the pressure in other zones, said solid portions and yielding por tions being spaced to correspond to the contour of the blanks, wherebyblanks having relieved and indented effects may be uniformly decorated by rolling contact pressure between the member and blank.

' 8. ;A' printing roll, comprising a central body and an embracin layer of material adapted to e ect a trans er to a blank, the. body being characterized in that it has intermediate of its ends, anon-yielding enlargement in concentric relation to the roll,

whereby elongated blanks of deviating contour maybe effectively decorated.

9. The method of arranging work having yielding relatively raised and receding surfaces for decoration thereof in a graining or like printing machine, comprising supporting the work pieces in substantially closely spaced relation to each other, whereby the receding surfaces of twoadjacent pieces of work will act to mutually direct yielding transfer material on a'transfer r011 toward each other for uniform decoration of the receding. surfaces or both pieces, simultaneously with the decoration of the raised surfaces of the pieces.

- In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

' GUIDO VON WEBERN.

EDW. W. HAMANT. 

